Information from diverse data sources may be relied upon to assist a pilot in performing functions related to, for example, flight planning, performance management, and guidance and navigation. The easier it is for the pilot to obtain and synthesize the information provided by these diverse data sources, the more likely that the pilot will be able to successfully navigate the aircraft. Various management systems, such as flight management systems (FMS) may be utilized to assist a pilot with the collection and processing of information based on the data from the diverse data sources.
Navigating the descent phase of flight can be very cognitively demanding. In particular, scenarios in which an aircraft is in the approach phase of flight, all drag devices (for example, flaps and slats) of the aircraft are deployed, an airbrake and/or landing gear is deployed, and the approach is determined to be unstable, a pilot may wish to have guidance. However, guidance provided by the flight management system (FMS) and Flight Controls in this scenario may be incomplete. As a result, a crew may resort to an ad-hoc or rule of thumb analysis to determine whether and how to continue to land from the unstable approach. A rule of thumb analysis may inaccurately take into account all significant factors, such as, for example, a vertical speed and anticipated deceleration required to stabilize the aircraft and converge back onto a reference approach profile.
Accordingly, improvements to conventional FMS that improve approach guidance are desirable. Specifically, technologically improved flight management systems and methods capable of providing improved approach stabilization guidance are desirable. The desired improved flight management system provides a best possible vertical speed for stabilizing the aircraft at a selected stabilization altitude. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present disclosure will become apparent from the subsequent Detailed Description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this Background.